Endocrine disruptors affect the expression of estrogen receptor genes and proteins in the white cloud mountain minnow Tanichthys albonubes (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

The endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous in the environment, and it has raised wide public concern because of the dangers of EDCs for living organisms and the environment. In order to comparatively study the effects of EDCs [17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), Bisphenol A (BPA) and Nonylphenol (NP)] on the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs: erα, erß1, and erß2) at mRNA and protein level, total 520 adult Tanichthys albonubes were exposed to E2, EE2, BPA and NP with three concentrations respectively: EE2 (1, 5, 25 ng/l), NP (10, 50, 250 µg/l), BPA (100, 500, 2,500 µg/l) for 28 days, E2 (2, 20, 200 ng/l) being as the positive control. After treatment, the brain, eye, gill, heart, liver, gut, kidney, muscle, testis, and ovary were collected, following by the real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot methods to detect the expression levels of erα, erß1, and erß2 in T.albonubes at mRNA and protein level. Our results showed that high expression of terα (t means T.albonubes), terß1, and terß2 were detected in liver, while terß1 and terß2 mainly expressed in the liver, intestine, kidney, muscle and testis. EE2, BPA, and NP treatment all up-regulated the expression of terα, terß1, and terß2 in the brain, liver, and testis, but with some variations. Similar to mRNA level, both TERα and TERß were up-regulated by all the EE2, BPA, and NP treatment with dose-dependent effect. In conclusion, the responses of ERs of T.albonubes to the EDCs present measurability and susceptibility, which make it possible for T. albonubes to be an efficient biomarker to monitor and evaluate the pollution of endocrine disrupting chemicals in water environment.

Practice and thinking of Otorhinolaryngology Clinical Skill Competition / 中华医学教育探索杂志

This paper introduces the clinical skill competition organized by the faculty of Otolaryngology Department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and analyzes the main problems in implementing items of basic life support, single ear compression bandage, debridement and suturing, foreign body removal from pharynx and larynx area, nasal packing and hemostasis and comprehensive skills. According to contestants' performances, their abilities in clinical analysis and operating skills have been tested, and their professional humanities have been cultivated. Thus, the aim of "promoting learning through examination and substituting competition for practice" is achieved through the competition. Clinical skill competitions can be used widely as supplement form of medical education for its practicability, entertainment, innovation and interaction.

Application of multi-touch virtual anatomy system in the otolaryngology teaching / 中华医学教育探索杂志

The residents and low-grade resident trainees of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of the Ninth People's Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were selected as subjects. In the multi-touch virtual anatomy system, the lecturers made the anatomical signs of otolaryngology head and neck surgery, and applied them through the training method. Then the teachers explained the three sub-specialties of the nose, throat, neck and ear in the multi-touch virtual dissection table. The teaching method can stimulate the learning interest because of its vivid three-dimensional sense. The characteristics of teaching and learning are beneficial to the cultivation of medical education teachers. In addition, the one-time investment of equipment breaks through the supply bottleneck of traditional anatomical consumables and promotes active learning among medical students. The multi-touch virtual anatomy system can effectively improve the teaching methods, facilitate the interesting teaching, and has broad application prospects in medical teaching.

Risk Factors of Chronic Rhinosinusitis After Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

BACKGROUND Clinical data of 288 chronic rhinosinusitis patients were retrospectively analyzed to investigate the risk factors of clinical prognosis, aiming to provide clinical evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 288 patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis in the Department of Otolaryngology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were recruited. Among all participants, 177 were male and 111 were female, aged from 22 to 83 years, (52±14) years on average. Subsequent follow-up was conducted to evaluate surgical efficacy. Influencing factors of clinical prognosis were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS After functional endoscopic sinus surgery by Messerklinger technique, 187 (64.9%) patients were fully recovered, 72 (25.0%) presented with improvement, and 28 (10.1%) were untreated. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that 11 variables were correlated with the clinical prognosis of chronic rhinosinusitis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, history of allergic rhinitis, severity of dysosmia, history of nasosinusitis surgery, and long-term use of nasal decongestant were the risk factors, whereas comprehensive therapy after surgery was a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS More emphasis should be placed upon the factors associated with the clinical prognosis of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis following undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery, offering consolidated evidence for the prevention and treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Transoral laser surgery versus radiotherapy: systematic review and meta-analysis for treatment options of T1a glottic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the oncologic and functional outcomes between transoral laser surgery (TLS) and radiotherapy (RT). METHODS: An electronic library search of the relevant English- and Chinese-language literature was conducted. Potentially eligible articles were reviewed. Qualified articles were selected and evaluated. RESULTS: No significant differences were identified between TLS and RT with respect to local control, overall survival, disease-specific survival, and posttreatment voice quality. However, larynx preservation was significantly higher in patients initially treated with TLS than those initially treated with RT. CONCLUSIONS: The approach for optimal treatment of T1a glottic cancer remains unanswered. This results from the relatively inconclusive evidence obtained from the current literature. Properly designed, prospective, randomized, or well-controlled studies will be required. Similar methodologies for treatment and reporting need to be established to make a valid and meaningful comparison between studies.

Relationship between adult craniofacial structures and development of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the influence of adult craniofacial structures on obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).@*METHOD@#This study compared the measurements of the height, body weight,neck circumference, the mallampati oropharyngeal score grading, thyromental distance, thyromental angle, lobule-mental distance, mental-lower lip distance of 50 patients with OSAHS with those of 50 controls.@*RESULT@#Statistical findings showed that OSAHS patients were different from controls in the following ways: (1) higher neck circumference; (2) larger thyromental angle; (3) higher Mallampati scores; (4) higher body mass index; (5) shorter mental-lower lip distance.@*CONCLUSION@#A crowded posterior oropharynx and a steep thyromental plane are associated with OSAHS. The adult craniofacial structures of bony and soft tissue determine the dimension of upper airway during sleep andpaly an important role in the development of OSAHS.